Covered bridges are a big source of nostalgia and fascination for many folks in America. Fewer intact examples litter the countryside today than ever before, but once upon a time they were a critical part of early transportation infrastructure. At the time they were built (and today, too), they were engineering marvels, often built by formally uneducated people with simple technology (and definitely nothing in the way of calculators, computers, or load tables.)

Less than 1000 covered bridges remain in service today, but during the two hundred years of covered bridge heyday, over 15,000 were built. America’s Covered Bridges: Practical Crossings, Nostalgic Icons is a beefy hardcover illuminating the source of fascination of the covered bridge in the American landscape.

Review: America’s Covered Bridges Book

Personally speaking, I’m not one in the covered bridge fanatic category. However, I do appreciate covered bridges for the same reason I’m attracted to other types of traditional building and architecture. Covered bridges are a unique product of time and place. They represent a level of ingenuity, spirit, and beauty that is sorely lacking in much of “modern” architecture and construction.

There seems to be a certain subculture that is highly enthusiastic about researching and traveling to see covered bridges across the US. No doubt, authors Terry E. Miller and Ronald G. Knapp are extremely knowledgeable individuals and they present a veritable fountain of knowledge on all aspects of covered bridge construction and history.

As the authors explain, the real meat of covered bridges are the trusses designed and built to carry loads over streams, rivers, or other natural obstacles. These trusses are a marvel of wood joinery and engineering — it’s shocking how long some of the spans are that these bridges cover. The “covered” in covered bridge is actually the less significant aspect of the construction — the wood cladding exists primarily to protect the trusses, not the people and vehicles that pass through them.

Miller and Knapp describe these truss designs in great detail, delving deeply into the time and place of these innovations. The overall history and technical details are well-covered, as are issues of preservation and the future of the covered bridge. For serious readers, there’s a whole lot of depth here. The level of research is excellent, and the text is engaging.

Thankfully, the book has a wealth of stunning photos and artwork as well, both old and new. The photo quality is top notch, and the captions are very descriptive. In fact, more casual readers will get a good dose of information just from the photos and accompanying captions themselves.

The book is clearly divided into two parts. The first part presents the history, technical information, and philosophical musings on what makes a covered bridge so special, and how they might endure in the face of continuing industrial “progress”. The latter half contains a collection of profiles of 55 different bridges, organized according to geographical location. These profiles are diverse, not just a highlight of the best and brightest bridges, but those with an interesting background too.

Needless to say, anyone with an inkling of interest in covered bridge design and history will come away with a whole new level of appreciation after reading Miller and Knapp’s America’s Covered Bridges.

Win Your Own Copy of America’s Covered Bridges

Okay, so now for the giveaway. Do you want to win your own copy of America’s Covered Bridges? Follow these very simple steps (it’s actually one step, really)!

• Comment on this post, and tell us one reason why you’re excited about adding this book to your collection.
• Please be sure to leave your full name and email address, or else your name will not be entered in the drawing.
• The drawing will take place March 16, at 8:00 A.M., and the winner will be announced shortly afterwards. We will choose a winner at random. Note, too, that I will add giveaway participants to The Year of Mud newsletter.

Go ahead and comment, and cross your fingers!

Photo credits: Covered Bridge Park 9 via photopin (license), iside Woodstock covered bridge, Woodstock, VT, 5 July 2013 via photopin (license),  Covered Bridge via photopin (license), DSC_0110 via photopin (license)